Homecoming
by justareader13
Summary: Emma leaves Storybrooke after Zelena is defeated, just as she said she would. However, a year and a half later she finds herself back in town for Ruby and Whale's wedding, what will she do when confronted with all the changes in the town and to the people she cares about? Can she and Killian ever actually be together?
1. Prologue

**AN: Post season 3-AU, not compliant with anything after that. In this story, Captain Swan was never trapped in past Storybrooke, after Zelena was defeated, Emma followed through with her decision to leave. Some characters from season 4 will be featured but their backstories are different as will be explained in the fic itself. Also, Snow and David's son is not named Neal because that was unbelievably stupid.**

* * *

Emma opened and closed the door behind her in her New York apartment before tiredly leaning against it. Work had been particularly taxing today and she just wanted to crawl into bed. She pushed off the door and turned up the thermostat in the perpetually cold apartment. It was winter now, but the apartment was always cold and quiet. She could remedy the cold, not so much the quiet. It had been 16 months since she left Storybrooke, leaving her parents, her brother, her son and _him_ behind. She had been steadfast in her decision to leave. Her parents' words couldn't convince her, Henry's imploring looks couldn't do it, Regina's threats couldn't sway her, and he couldn't stop her either.

He had said it. In a last-ditch effort to get her to stay, he told her he loved her. She suspected as much, but it was easier to deny it when he wasn't staring at her with those wide, electric blue eyes that betrayed said love to any and everyone. Those three words, the same three she had said in her own desperate attempt to make Neal stay when he first told her he was leaving. Killian didn't say it like she had, with the naivety and hope of a girl who thought she knew how the world worked but didn't. He said it with the weight of a man who spent almost 100 years trying to avenge the woman he loved, only to give it up for Emma. He said it with the knowledge that he was once again putting himself on the line, laying himself bare before her despite his fear that just like most other times before, she would reject him. And she had. She left him standing in the road watching her drive away, Henry and her parents a few feet behind him.

She didn't leave because she didn't care. It wasn't because she didn't understand or accept their love. She wished she could, but they deserved better than her. She was the savior but who had she really saved? Sure, she broke the curse by kissing Henry and managed to slay a dragon, but what had she done since then? She didn't stop Cora, Mary Margaret had. She didn't stop Pan, Gold did that. She didn't stop Zelena, Regina did. She couldn't save Neal either time he needed her and Hook... he nearly drowned because of her. They were better off without her. Her magic was gone, she was useless anyway.

They were fine. Mary Margaret and David had a second chance to raise a child who wasn't damaged. Henry had Regina, who was probably a better mom for him in some ways than Emma. She wouldn't abandon him at least. Emma missed Henry and wished he was with her. She had pleaded with him to come with her back to New York, but he didn't want to leave Regina after he just got her back. He had a chance to have a real family with Regina, Robin and Roland. It wasn't a huge surprise that he had chose that over a life of solitude with Emma and she understood, because that was all she wished for as a child. At least she had done something good for Henry and knew that he was okay, even though she wasn't there. Plus, truth be told, it was getting even more painful looking at Henry with Neal having died in her arms. He looked so much like his father. As for Hook... Killian, he'd be better off without her more than anyone else. He had so much love to give, more than she would ever know what to do with. He could give it to someone who could give it back the way he should receive it. Maybe he could rekindle whatever he had with Tinkerbell.

Emma sighed and silently began preparing a light dinner. Her parents, Leo and Henry had visited five months ago for Henry's birthday. They weren't bound to the town anymore, but seeing as they were from a land of magic and Storybrooke was the only place that sustained magic in this realm, they would rather stay with their own people.

Emma had been happy to see them. The last time she could have potentially seen them was when they called and told her about Elsa freezing over the town. Apparently, someone from the Enchanted Forest named Hans had brought her over so he could exact revenge on Mr. Gold. Emma knew they were hoping she'd offer to come back, but she had just wished them luck and told them to keep her updated. She didn't want to be back in that mess and she was useless to help anyway, she didn't have magic anymore. They had fixed the problem without her. Elsa was just a 13-year-old girl who was being used against her will. She was alone and confused and powerful. They had managed to defeat Hans and reign Elsa in. Last she heard, the girl found her younger sister and was happy living with a foster family since her parents were dead, and Regina was helping her get control of her powers.

When her parents, brother and son visited, they eased right back into being a family as if they were never apart. Emma didn't ask about Killian or anything else related to Storybrooke other than the basics: how everyone was, if they were happy, if they were safe. At any rate, they didn't volunteer any deep information, knowing she didn't want it.

It was bittersweet seeing her baby brother again. She last saw him in person as a newborn and Leo had grown a lot since then. He was an affectionate one-year-old and he immediately took a shine to Emma. He'd seen her through a computer screen on Skype before, but she had feared he wouldn't recognize her and freak out or something. She wasn't as jealous of him as she thought she'd be, but she did feel pangs in her chest whenever she saw her parents doting on him. She only got that from them the first five minutes of her life and the Swans loved her for three years before unceremoniously giving her back.

Her family stayed for two weeks before leaving but Emma could tell from their faces they were hoping she would leave New York and go back to Storybrooke with them. She had wished them a safe ride back and shut the door firmly behind them, then spent the night trying not to cry. She talked to them at least twice a week on the phone and on Skype. It wasn't the same as having them there, but it was better this way.

She silently ate her meal and then took a shower. She got dressed and laid in bed while listening to her voicemails. There were three: one from her landlord telling her the lease was going to be up soon and asking if she wanted to renew it, one from a client thanking her for her service and the last one was from her mother.

"Hey Emma. I guess you're at work. I wanted to remind you that Ruby and Victor's wedding is coming up in a week and if you're going to come, you should probably get here within the next few days. Ruby would really like for you to be a bridesmaid. She already has your dress tailored and ready, but if you don't come, she'll give it to Kathryn. She really is hoping you'll come though. There's nothing horrible happening, no villain to fight, no disaster to contend with, it's just a wedding where you'll be with friends and family and people who would love to see you again. Please, please come to the wedding, Emma. I normally wouldn't beg you or put you out like this, but you can't miss Ruby's wedding. Just... make the right choice, sweetheart."

Emma dropped her phone a little roughly on her nightstand and laid back tiredly in her bed.

Ruby's wedding.

Henry told her about the engagement a few months prior, but it had slipped her mind. Who gets married in winter anyway? But Ruby told Emma through Snow that she had plans for Emma to be in the wedding and no matter what Emma said, Ruby was sure she would come back to town just for the event. Emma wasn't sure she was wrong. But how could she just go back to Storybrooke? She knew as soon as she stepped foot there, the place would lure her back in, try to get her to stay when she knew it was better if she didn't. Then again, she didn't want to think about the disappointment she'd cause her mother and Ruby if she didn't go. Could she do it? Could she go back there? Could she be in the town with those people, with her parents, with her son, with her brother, with Killian and not be sucked back in?

 _Who says you don't want to be sucked back in? You need it._ Her mind whispered to her.

 _They deserve better than you._ That voice, the one that she supposed existed in the mind of every orphan, hissed at her.

 _No, they deserve you. All of you._

 _What do you have to offer them?_

 _Nothing. But being there to offer nothing is better than not being there at all._

Emma rolled over, the internal battle of wills exhausting her even more. She grabbed the sleeping pills and water on her nightstand, took two and then laid back down, doing all she could to clear her mind of everything related to Storybrooke. She cleared it of fairytale family members, of little boys smiling up at her, of men with sincere blue eyes and lovers dying in her arms. She turned her mind to work and recounted to herself her latest closed case of a bail jumper wanted for embezzlement. He had hidden under a church to evade Emma, but he wasn't fast enough. It had ended up coming to blows with the guy and her back ached a bit from the fight, but it was a dull ache, one you slept off. Emma's mind began to get fuzzy and hazy on details as the sleeping pills went into effect and she dozed off before she knew it.

She dreamed of what her life would've been like had she stayed in Storybrooke. She dreamed of seeing Henry's face every day. She dreamed of eating her mother's delicious cooking (a product of Mary Margaret, not Snow). She saw herself working alongside her father at the police station then walking into Granny's and chatting with Ruby at the end of the day. She saw herself with Killian, having him by her side, always over her shoulder offering support and faith in her and looking at her with those stupid, sincere eyes.

When she woke up, she ate breakfast, called her landlord and told him to give her two more weeks to decide about the lease. With that taken care of, she packed her meager belongings and hopped in her bug on her way to Storybrooke.


	2. Reunions

By the time Emma packed up and talked to her landlord and boss, hit the road and reached Storybrooke, it was dark out. Winter had brought night a lot sooner than normal but, despite the darkness, Emma couldn't help but slow down her car and take in the differences the town had undergone. There were some new stores she didn't recognize. The street signs had been redone and looked newer, more pristine. She noticed as she drove into town there wasn't a line defining the town boundary anymore, but rather a larger sign signaling your departure from Storybrooke. The town was quiet and peaceful, but Emma knew better than to let that fool her. Still, it looked beautiful with the snow covering the ground and snowmen lining the streets every couple hundred feet. There were snow angels scattered amongst them, the children obviously enjoying the cold weather. Emma could see Archie who was walking Pongo stop and stare wide-eyed at the yellow bug passing by him. Emma self-consciously stared straight ahead at the road in front of her so she could avoid the stares she was getting from the few people lingering under the streetlights. The stares inspired an uncertainty in her. She breathed a deep breath. She could stick it out for a couple weeks, she'd be back in New York soon enough... maybe. She hadn't decided what she was going to do yet. She knew her parents and Henry would want her to stay and may not take no for an answer this time around, but she didn't think she could handle the inevitable new villain that was sure to surface soon and people looking to her for guidance because she was the Savior. She couldn't do that again. But wasn't this place her home? Neal had told her that you know a place is home when you're not there and you just miss it and she had missed Storybrooke, not so much the town but the people. Then again, Neal told her a lot of things that turned out to be bullshit, like the fact that he wouldn't leave her and he did that three times. She couldn't fault him the last two, but damn it if she wasn't still at least a little upset with him about everything even if she had made her peace with it.

Emma heaved another sigh as she pulled up to Mary Margaret and David's loft. She hoped they were there and not at Granny's. Last she checked, Killian lived at Granny's. Then again, last she checked was over a year ago so that may have changed, if he was even still in Storybrooke. He didn't have much reason to stay without her there, right? Maybe he did. He had friends besides her, didn't he? Emma shook her head, not wanting to think about him anymore. She knew her parents would be shocked at her appearance and pleased, Henry would be much the same. He was living with Regina, Robin and Roland. She didn't know Robin well and couldn't begin to think what his reaction to her would be when she did get around to going to Regina's. Regina, she already knew, would not welcome her with open arms and a smile. She might be getting more docile, but she had never liked Emma that much, she just tried to get along with her when crisis demanded it, or Henry wanted them to but Regina wouldn't greet Emma with cool indifference either. Knowing the former queen, she'd take every opportunity to put Emma down and make her feel worse than she already did. Good thing she was made of stronger stuff.

She stepped out of her car and didn't hesitate to walk inside, up the steps and stop outside her parents' door. She could hear movement from inside, so she knew they were home. She could hear the television playing, but she couldn't tell how many people were inside the loft. She grabbed on to all her courage and stamped down the urge inside her that screamed: run, run, run! Instead, she knocked soundly on the door. She held her breath as the door swung open and she was face to face with her mother. They both stood frozen staring at each other for a moment before Emma nervously shifted her weight and broke the silence,

"Hi..." She said, waving awkwardly. Her actions seemed to break Mary Margaret out of her stupor and she dove forward and pulled Emma into her arms.

"Oh my gosh, Emma! You came! I honestly didn't think you would." Emma felt a pang at her mother's disbelief but couldn't really blame her. Emma wrapped her arms around her in return and held her just as tightly. She had missed her. Seeing her through a computer screen and in person were two different things.

"Well, I almost didn't but I figured Ruby would probably drive to New York in her wedding dress and drag me back here kicking and screaming." Emma replied once Mary Margaret let her go so she could breathe.

"Damn straight, I would've." Ruby said popping up behind Mary Margaret before pulling Emma inside the apartment and into a hug.

"I never doubted you for a second."

"Oh really?" Mary Margaret replied knowingly.

"Maybe just a minute, if that. I'm just glad you came." Ruby finally pulled out of the hug and her mom took her hand and began leading her to the kitchen/dining room.

"The others are setting the table."

"The others?" She asked with a stab of fear hitting her heart.

"Your father, Henry, Leo and Whale." Emma felt relieved. At least Killian and Regina weren't here. When she stepped into the area Leo, who was in his high chair, saw her first. He began bouncing excitedly and reaching out to her. It warmed her heart. David turned to the little guy, his back to her.

"What's got you so excited?" He asked. Henry saw her next. He immediately put the plates in his hands down and ran to her. She huffed out a breath and staggered back a bit from the force of his hug, but she hugged him back. He had gotten so much bigger than the ten-year-old that showed up at her door all those years ago. He was a teenager now, 13 years old. He was smart enough to have started high school already. He would have girlfriends soon and prom, then he'd go off to college and before she knew it, he'd be gone.

 _Damn it, I really do not need to be thinking about this right now._ She thought. She looked up as she was suddenly engulfed in larger arms, David joining her and Henry's hug. She put one arm around him before detaching herself completely. She smiled at them all, feeling a lot better. She didn't feel cold anymore.

"I knew you'd come." David said, nodding to himself in affirmation of his beliefs. Henry nodded along with him.

 _At least they believed in me._ She thought even though she didn't know why they did and she understood Mary Margaret and Ruby's disbelief more. If there was any emotion she was an expert on, it was skepticism.

"Here I am." She replied, nodding to Whale while moving over to Leo and placing a kiss on his head which seemed to satisfy him for the moment. He'd want more attention soon, the spoiled prince.

"Get comfortable and let's eat. Your mother cooked enough for a small army." David said, smiling before kissing Emma's forehead. Emma went to hang her jacket up and remove her shoes before returning to the now set table where a chair between Henry and Leo waited for her. She saw that her mother had in fact made an excess of food. Emma's surprise must've shown as she sat and began filling her plate because Mary Margaret started explaining herself.

"We were supposed to entertain more guests than this. Grumpy and the others were supposed to come, but they all decided it was too cold and stayed home."

"Pussies. It isn't that cold." Ruby commented.

"Ruby, there are sensitive ears present." David exclaimed.

"His ears aren't so sensitive when you and Snow are—"

"Okay! Let's get back to food talk." Emma interrupted as Henry giggled next to her. Damn, he knew what Ruby meant now, which just reminded her that he was growing up and now really wasn't the time to think of this.

"Anyway, Killian was supposed to come tonight too but he said Tinkerbell invited him to dinner and he ate dinner with us yesterday, so he went there instead." Emma felt a jolt at that. He was with Tinkerbell tonight. She stamped the rising jealousy down. That was what she had wanted for him, to be able to move on to someone more deserving.

"Hmm." She replied nonchalantly, not wanting to betray any emotions towards the comment. Her mother was oblivious to the falseness of her disinterest. Mary Margaret never put much stock in Emma having any relationship with Killian, she wanted Emma with Neal but she didn't know the truth because Emma never told her what really happened between them all those years ago. She could feel David and Henry's eyes on her. They knew better. It was weird. David and she hadn't been as close as she and Mary Margaret were during the curse, but he seemed to understand her feelings and actions better. Maybe it was a dad thing. She ignored them and changed the subject despite knowing it would cement whatever they were thinking.

"So, Regina and Robin weren't invited?"

 _That's a safer subject._ Emma thought.

Suddenly the air got tenser. Even Leo stopped his mostly nonsensical babbling.

"Um, Mom and Robin, well they..." Henry answered with some nervousness. Whale didn't seem to notice the tension or didn't care.

"They'll be back from their honeymoon in time for the wedding." Emma nearly choked on her food.

"Honeymoon?" She asked incredulously.

"They got married two weeks ago."

"And no one told me because...?"

"Regina didn't want to tell you or for you to come. She didn't think you knowing just yet was important and I agreed." Mary-Margaret replied calmly.

"Not important? This is huge! Henry has a whole other parent now, how is that not important?"

"Robin's been there since before you left. He and Roland have lived with Henry and Regina this entire time."

"Yeah, they lived together. I didn't think Robin was playing daddy to my son. He already has a father... or had one."

"What's wrong with that?" Henry asked.

"He didn't legally put his name on my birth certificate like Mom wanted, but he's been there for me, even longer than Dad was. He's not replacing him, but it's nice to have a father figure other than Gramps. Robin's cool, so is Killian."

"What does Hook have to do with this?" She wouldn't call him Killian out loud, she just couldn't.

"He's spent a lot of time with me too is all." Henry replied, shrugging. A lot of things had changed, Henry's poor acting hadn't. She barely spoke the rest of the night, not wanting to hear any more news. She knew time wouldn't stand still just because she left. She left so her loved ones could have a better life and they obviously were living it while she stayed stuck with no idea what the hell she was doing. Could she come back with all her dreary baggage? It didn't seem fair seeing as how everyone was so damn happy without her in Storybrooke.

Later, after Ruby and Whale left and Henry and Leo were in bed, she declined the offer of the couch and opted for Granny's. Better to start distancing herself now. She did take David up on his offer to go to Granny's with her even though he was going to have to walk home after that. He didn't seem to mind. They made small talk for the most part on their way. She parked across the street from the dimly lit bed and breakfast and briefly surveyed the place.

"Well, at least this hasn't changed." She mumbled so lowly she didn't think David would hear but he did.

"Is that what dinner was about?"

"What do you mean?"

"You kind of overreacted back there."

"I think I have a right to know if something that big happens. It effects Henry's life and what effects him effects me." Emma defended.

"Sweetheart, you left. I understand why you did, I even thought you could use the vacation, but you didn't come back. Henry's been living with Regina, Robin and Roland and he's been happy."

"I know that." Emma mumbled in reply.

"Emma, I'm your father. I know you. I know what you're really thinking."

"Oh yeah, and what's that?" Emma asked with sarcasm in her voice.

"You feel like you're being replaced. You think that Henry's going to move on with this new, fully formed family and forget about you and that is ridiculous. That won't ever happen. He loves you just as much as he loves Regina. He's happy she got married, Robin's been a great surrogate father to him with Neal being gone now and he's happy having a family, but he misses you, we all do. I know why you left but can you seriously say it's worth being away from your family? Can you seriously say you're fine with our lives moving forward while you're out of the loop and out of the picture? Can you seriously say you don't want this, Emma?" Emma sighed as David spoke. He was spot on with how she felt, she wouldn't even admit it to herself. Either way she did leave for a reason and it was a good one at the time. Was it a good one now? She really had no idea and her mind was a jumbled mess that she didn't want to decipher right now, she was too tired.

"I'm going to head inside. I'm tired." Emma said in lieu of answering his questions. She could feel his eyes on her, but she didn't look his way even when he sighed in defeat.

"Let me walk you inside." She didn't protest when he opened her car door for her. She walked to her trunk and took her two bags out. He walked her across the street and held the door open for her. Granny's eyes showed surprise and pleasure at seeing Emma and she greeted her warmly before handing her a key.

"Room's on the house, seeing as how you're a part of Ruby's wedding party." She didn't protest and didn't comment when David kissed the side of her head and bid her good night. She trudged up the stairs, opened her room door and fell on the bed without taking off her clothes. She toed off her shoes warily and twisted off her jacket without getting up. She unbuckled her belt, opened her pants and crawled up the bed before laying down heavily. She barely had her head down on the pillow before she was knocked out cold.


	3. First Encounter

Bang, bang, bang.

Emma jerked awake to a fist hitting her door. At first, she was confused. No one knocked on her door except the landlord she sometimes had casual sex with and they hadn't done so since he got a real girlfriend. Then she realized she wasn't in her apartment.

"Emma, I'm knocking as a courtesy! I can get the key from Granny! Get up, we're going shopping!" Ruby shouted from beyond the door. Emma groaned but rolled out of bed and opened the door, not caring how she looked.

"Jesus Ruby, you'd wake the dead."

"That was the idea. Shower, get dressed, come have breakfast and then we've got shopping to do. We need to pick up the dresses. I already gave in your measurements. You don't seem to have changed much. Might need Granny to take it in a bit, you could stand to put on a few, Em. Snow will take care of that. Anyway, shower, clothes, breakfast, shopping. Chop, chop." Ruby rambled off in thirty seconds flat before sweeping out the room as quick as she came.

Emma shook her head and sighed in fond exasperation before doing what Ruby said. She showered, dressed in black jeans, a short-sleeved off-white cable knit turtleneck, brown boots and her red leather jacket. She walked downstairs, expecting her mom and Ruby to be waiting for her. She didn't expect Ashley, Aurora, Mulan, Belle, Ariel, a redhead she didn't know, a pretty dark-skinned girl she didn't know and... Tinkerbell.

"We having a party or something?" Emma asked as she walked over.

"Finally! Here, breakfast." Ruby practically pushed her into a chair and shoved a plate of food over to her.

"It's nice to see you again, Emma." Belle said warmly as Emma began eating. Aurora, Ashley, Tink and Mulan nodded in agreement.

"You already met Ariel, Emma." Mary Margaret started.

"Hello again, Emma. I'm glad you managed to make the trip." Ariel said politely while rubbing her protruding stomach.

"Thanks. Congratulations by the way." Ariel smiled and Emma smiled back. They weren't close, but they didn't have any animosity towards each other. Honestly, Emma didn't have any with anyone besides Regina and perhaps Gold, maybe Killian depending on how you looked at it. Her relationship with all three semi-reformed villains was complicated.

"Meet Rapunzel." The dark-skinned girl smiled kindly at Emma.

"And Mulan's girlfriend, Merida." The redhead girl stuck her hand out to Emma, the gesture disturbing the wild curls atop her head.

"Nice to meet ya. Heard a lot 'bout you, Princess Emma." She had an accent similar to Killian and Graham's. That threw Emma, but she managed something like a smile and shook her hand.

"Just Emma. Kathryn's not coming?" Emma asked, quick to move on to something else besides meeting new people. More new, she didn't know how much new she could take.

"Frederick's been sick lately. Cancer. Vic's treating him. Thank God for modern medicine. That's why I was really hoping you'd come. She would do it, but I don't want to tear her away from him. I mean, she did for Regina's wedding since they're still friends, but you know." Ruby explained.

"Oh." Emma hadn't known that.

Of course she didn't.

"I hope he feels better."

"You and me both. Now hurry! Those dresses won't buy themselves." Emma had to laugh.

She did miss Ruby.

She did not miss Ruby's shopping habits. They must've been judged in more dresses than a beauty pageant contestant. Ruby couldn't make up her mind. Each bridesmaid dress, though the same deep red and made of the same fabric, would have a different design. She thought Ruby was overdoing it for a single day, but she didn't dare say that. Besides, she liked donning a dress every once in a while and getting dolled up. Sue her. Eventually, Ruby decided. Emma thought it was the end of that but after that, they had to get shoes. She bit back a sigh and followed them to the next store.

 _This will go by faster_ , she thought.

She was wrong. She was ready to stick it out but then the talking began.

"So, boy or girl, Ariel? You never said." Aurora asked excitedly, staring at some stilettos and her feet scrutinizing.

"A girl." Ariel replied, happily rubbing her huge stomach. She looked like she would pop any day.

"I remember when I found out I was having a girl. A mini-me to toddle around behind me." Mary-Margaret said sadly.

"Emma hasn't been toddling in a long, long time." Ruby said in a joking tone in order to diffuse any tension before it grew.

"Hey! I'm not that old." Emma exclaimed as the other women giggled.

"Old enough to be married. How's it going on that front?"

"Here we go again." Mulan mumbled. Emma looked at her in confusion, choosing to ignore Ruby's comment.

"Ever since Ruby got engaged, she's been trying to make the rest of us get married too." Rapunzel explained, walking past Emma towards a pair of boots.

"Never mind some of us are just fine with our relationships the way they are." Tink piped up. Emma tried not to think too much of Tink's relationship.

"Oh please, Tink. You're practically married already." Ashley chimed in. Tink blushed a bit and rolled her eyes.

"We are not."

"You are too."

"Are not."

"You are. Admit it."

"I know true love when I see it." Belle said with a smile. That threw Emma. Why would Belle care about Killian getting happiness or true love after everything that happened between them and Rumpelstiltskin? Maybe they let bygones be bygones. Suddenly Tink's phone rang.

"I bet that's him now." Emma swallowed and walked out of earshot towards a rack of shoes, ignoring Tinkerbell's conversation. She did her best to clear her mind and not think of Tink and Killian, who were apparently the cutest unmarried couple in Storybrooke. Who knew? Maybe they completed each other's sentences and had true love telepathy or whatever. Emma took a deep breath before she went down that road of thinking.

 _This is what I wanted. This is why I left._ She reminded herself. Emma sighed. She wasn't doing a good job of convincing herself, but she pushed Killian away, she lied and said she didn't have feelings for him. Problem with lying is you're the one who gets hurt in the long run.

"Emma!" She turned to her mother.

"We're about to make final purchases then leave. School's letting out soon anyway. I'm sure you'd love to spend more time with Henry." Had they really been shopping that long?

"Yeah, coming." She rejoined the women and stuck to Mary Margaret's side while the others made their purchases and Ruby bought her shoes.

"So why aren't you in school? Shouldn't you be teaching? Maternity leave isn't that long, is it? Unless you quit." Emma asked.

"Not quit, got a promotion if you will. I didn't mention this before but now is as good a time as any. Regina appointed me Vice Mayor of Storybrooke." Emma stared at her as if she was speaking gibberish.

"She did what? Why would she do that?"

"Regina and I are actually in a very good place right now. We put all our cards on the table and we had to both let go of a lot of hurt and anger and pain. Believe it or not, we actually went to therapy with Archie and I think we're in a better place than I ever imagined us being in." She said with a soft smile while Emma stared with even more incredulity.

"You just let it go? Her dead boyfriend, your dead father, her dead mother. The sleeping curse, countless dead innocents. 28 years of misery in this town, and you just let it go?"

"It's just like you said, 28 years is a long time to be so... broken. It didn't happen overnight. It started in the Enchanted Forest during the missing year. We bonded as mothers. Then we found out about our mothers' rivalry and how that helped lead to Zelena being the way she was, and it all seemed so much more... unimportant in the grand scheme of things. We decided to do what our mothers couldn't: we moved on for our children's sakes, including yours, and we did it for the town and ourselves. You can't live without hope your whole life, Emma."

Emma looked away. There were moments where she wanted to put aside her animosity for Regina too, even moments where she had, but it was a constant battle, especially when she thought of how her life could've been if Regina never casted the curse. She knew Mary Margaret did love Regina even if she wouldn't say so. Regina was family to her, perhaps only her mother by marriage, but still family and at the end of the day Emma didn't think Mary Margaret ever would truly give up on her but it was still hard to be faced with that truth.

"I... I'm happy for you, that you two could work it out." She tried to find sentiment behind her words but couldn't. Mary Margaret turned around to look at her with a scrutinizing stare, but Emma turned away.

"Let's go get Henry." She walked to Mary Margaret's car (a new car specifically for her and Leo) and got in the passenger seat. The driver's door opened but she startled a bit at the back door opening as well.

"We're dropping Tink off at the school." Mary Margaret explained. Emma wondered why she'd need a ride to the school grounds but figured she was picking up the Lost Boys. Emma didn't speak the whole car ride, choosing to stare out the window instead. When they got to the school Tink hopped out first, thanking them as she did. She made to get out, but Mary Margaret held her back.

"What is it?" She asked.

"What's wrong with you? And don't insult my intelligence by telling me it's nothing."

"It's nothing." The queen gave Emma a look then as if she caught her hand in a cookie jar.

"It's just... everything has changed, and I guess I wasn't expecting it is all." Mary Margaret got that look she got when she wanted to be careful but still tell the hard truth.

"It's been over a year since you left. It'd be more concerning if things hadn't changed."

"I know. Don't worry about my problems, you've got enough to worry over with Leo."

"Emma, you're my child too. I'm supposed to worry."

"Really, don't. My issues – it's... personal." She did her best to ignore the look of hurt that crossed her mother's face, but her brain wouldn't let her.

 _You're hurting them already._

"The last time you were acting strange and had a problem you wouldn't tell us about, you left Storybrooke. You've only been here a day. I believe that you can find your happy ending Emma, but how will you find it if you never stay in one place long enough to?" Emma opened her mouth and then closed it again.

"Look, I need to take things one step at a time. I've never had anyone and then I have Henry and parents who are the same age as me and Neal again. There's Rumpelstiltskin and fairytale princesses and Neverland, Captain friggin' Hook. I am just so... Graham died because of Regina, Neal died because of Zelena, Henry almost died because I didn't believe, so much has happened. I'm the Savior and I'm not doing a whole lot of saving. I never even wanted to be this. I only did because... you're my family and I had to protect you. I had to protect the one thing I had always wanted and finally had."

"So why did you leave?" Emma looked at Mary Margaret and could see how imploring her look was, how much she wanted to know.

"I..." Emma paused again.

"I'm staying until Ruby's wedding, I'm not going to let all this shopping go to waste. What happens after that? Can we not... can we not talk about it right now?" Her mother's face fell but she just nodded her head before getting out of the car. Emma turned forward and slouched in her seat trying to take slow, deep breaths. She should've known any interaction with her mother would end in nothing less than a heart-to-heart, but Emma couldn't. She had literally only been back a day and she couldn't deal with the emotional influx so soon. She sat up a bit, getting ready to get out, when her eyes caught on a familiar figure.

 _Shit. What is he doing here?_ She thought, slouching even lower as Hook stood by the gates of the school conversing with Tinkerbell and Jefferson. Hook must be there with Tink. Emma did her best to ignore the twinge in her chest as he smiled brightly at something Tink said but she couldn't deny it. He was wearing more modern clothes now, though he still wore a leather jacket but over dark washed jeans and a dark blue henley instead of leather pants and his vests. He still had his hook on and his jewelry and guyliner. He looked much the same except... except he looked happy. She didn't think she'd ever actually seen him genuinely happy, but he was smiling and laughing with Tink and Jefferson and warmly greeted Mary Margaret when she approached them. She watched the four interact with each other and wondered where in that she could've fit in. Except...

Expect she had a place between Hook and her mother waiting for her that she turned away from.

 _To protect them, to save them the pain._ She mentally defended.

 _You caused them pain, nonetheless._

Emma shook her head at Mary Margaret as she looked back at her quizzically then with realization and sadness. Emma felt like banging her head against the car door but then the bell rang, and children started flooding out of the high school. She watched with interest as the Lost Boys passed Tink with little more than hellos and kept walking. The four kept talking and then Emma watched Gracie skip from the building with Wendy and another girl with white blonde hair that Emma didn't recognize. She guessed Gracie was promoted early too. The girl ran to Jefferson and hugged him tightly before hugging Tinkerbell just as tight. Emma's eyebrows must've gone to her hairline as she watched Tink kiss both of Hook's cheeks before tucking herself under Jefferson's arm and holding Gracie's hand while the three strolled away.

 _Tink and Jefferson? Didn't see that coming._

Emma would admit that of all the changes, this one was the least upsetting. She looked back to Hook and Mary Margaret. Wendy and the blonde were still there. The blonde girl was now standing close to Hook's side and conversing with Wendy while he spoke to Mary Margaret. Henry walked out then, bidding goodbye to some kids and walked down the steps to the group. He looked around a little and she realized he was looking for her.

 _Don't call me out, don't call me out._

"Mom!" She winced to herself before leaning up and looking out the car window. Hook was now looking at the window, staring at her. He didn't look surprised more... shaken than anything else. She pushed the car door open and walked over to the group feeling like she was doing a death march the whole while before she came to stand across from Hook.

"Emma, lovely to see you again. David said you were here. It's good you could make it for the wedding." He said politely. Emma nodded back just as polite, practically drowning in the awkwardness between them.

"It's lovely to see you again, Sheriff Swan." Wendy said, cutting through the tension.

"And you. How are your brothers?"

"They're doing well, thank you for asking."

"Speaking of, you asked for their permission to stay the night, yes?" Hook asked her.

"Yes, I did. They're with Drusilla and Fantasia today so they don't mind me staying over."

Two things went through Emma's mind.

1\. Weren't those the names of Cinderella's, well Ashley's, mean step-sisters?

2\. Why would John and Michael let their sister spend the night at a grown man's house? A man who Wendy knew as a villain back in Neverland?

"Hello." A voice said, Emma looked to the unnamed girl. She was staring at her with curious ice blue eyes. Emma looked at Mary Margaret as she kissed her teeth and silently chastised herself.

"Where are my manners? Emma, this is Elsa." Emma looked back over to the girl. She was small for a fourteen-year-old and for all the power pent up inside of her.

"Nice to meet you, kid." Elsa nodded back with something just shy of polite and on the edge of standoffish.

"You're Emma Swan. Papa has told me a lot about you."

 _Papa?_ Emma thought she was in foster care, unless she had found a home.

"Well, I hope it was good things."

"For the most part, Swan." Emma looked at Hook and he had a secretive look on his face. Mary Margaret's eyes were downcast while Henry shuffled a little.

There was no way. No way Hook was this girl's—

"Can we go now, Papa? We're going to be late. Anna's probably waiting." Elsa said to Hook.

"Yes, yes we're going. Come along Wendy." The blonde skipped to Elsa's side and the two began making their way down the street.

"You... have a daughter."

"Two. I adopted them a few months ago. You told me to move on and I did." Emma opened her mouth and closed it again because what could she say? It was better than him being with Tinkerbell but also threw straight into her face just what she gave up. Hook was good with children despite all evidence to the contrary. She wondered if he had dreamt of having a child with Milah or even with Emma herself, but she pushed that dangerous thought away. She had Henry and Hook had moved on. In a completely unexpected way, but still.

"I... congratulations, I guess." The corner of his mouth quirked but it wasn't a real smile, wasn't the way he usually looked at her and it was her own fault. He turned to Henry and gave a real smile now.

"This Saturday, yeah? I'll show you some new knots and we'll take a ride."

"Have I ever missed a day?"

"Good lad." He replied, ruffling Henry's hair. He gave Mary Margaret a hug before looking back at Emma.

"It really is lovely to see you again, Swan. I'm glad you're safe and happy." He said, not meeting her eyes, before walking off to join his daughter. Emma watched him walk away, a sight she was most unused to as it was usually the other way around, and she could help the pang in her heart as he left. There was a gulf of distance between them now and she had created it.


End file.
